Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, July 3, 1892, Page 9

4 L ¢ PART TWO. . - TW THE PARTY LEADERS Bome of the Men Who Head the Great Re- form Movement. THEY COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE Farmers, Artisans, Prohibitionists and Ma- chine Politicians Upon One Platform. MEN WHO HAVE FOUGHT IN ALL PARTIES Bome Have Won Remown While Only Notoriety Belongs to Others. SOME PRESIDENTIAL POSSIBILITIES Btory of the Life of the Van Wycks, Peffers, Simpsons, McKeighans, Donnellys and Other Shining Lights Among the Modern Aposties of Reform. Some Interasting people are figuring in the present big convention. Many of them have cut wide swaths during the past yewr in the political field and have natioual fame or no- toriety. Some of them, and they are promi- neut too, are surprises that resulted from the political rovolution of 1890, whilo others aro old war borses who have sniffed tho battle In the ranks of the ropublican and demo- cratic parties und have been forced by the turn of the political wheel to clioose boetween reur scats in the old parties and chances for preferment in the reform movement. Ap- pended aro sketehes of somo of the prowi- nent workers in the couvention, Charles 1. Van Wycks Charles H. Van Wyck lias been congress- man from New York aud senator from Ne- braska, pionecr, soldier and lawyer, and now ho is in privato hfe, but an active worker 1n the farmers alliance and people's party movements. Ho was in cougress as a republican, but opposed tho railroads with a good den! of encrgy, and in consequenco was found lying outside the breastworks when the Nebraska legislature chose a senator in 1887, He wos born at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1824: was graduated frora Rutgers college, New Jersey, after which hestudied law; was admitted to'the bar and was soou elected district attorney for Sullivan county, New York. He gained popularily so fast ‘that in 1858 he was nominated for congress by the republicans of that district, and_though tho democratic majority had been 1,200 ko com pletely reversed it and was elected by nearly the same majority, assisted greatl no doubt, by the general political “stump’ of . that year, In 1860 he was re-clected, and while hold 10 bis sout in congress was made colonel of tha Tenth Legion, or Fifty-sixth New York volunteers. He served in tho Army of the Potomac to the close of tho war, becamwe & brigadier ceneral, and 1n 1866 and 1868 was re-elected to congress, on after the war closed General Van Wyek and a party of colonists traversed lowa in wagons and made a location just west of the Missouri, where Nebraska City now is, After closing bis fourth torm us a New York congress- man he located 10 Nebraska, whero he scon became a member of tho coustitutioal con- and was for three terms & member of the pnato It was at the session of 1851 that he was elocted United States seoator to succeed A. 8. Paddock, aud his career in that position was stormy from the start. Ho had beon cleeted partly because of # growing popular fecling ngainst railroads, and the more he was thwarted the moro radical he »grew, il he parted company with his republicun sssociutes, and anti-railrondism, so to speak, became his absorbng passion. tHo stood quite alone in the senato, and atiacked pow- erful corporations of every kind. As matters then were o man might as well have gone to Mecea to preach against M hammedanism s to talk against cornorations i the Uunitea States sevate, or even in the Nebraska logislatuve, Some of his fellow scnators made it aimost a personal matter to sce that ho wus defeated, and the argument most vigorous'y used agaiust him was that he “could not be de A on to vote with his party.” Add that he favored a reduc, tion of tho tariff, and it will be scen that ho could not be re-elected. Hon. Algernon 8. Paddock guined the s and Mr. Van Wyck, now freed from party obligatious, naturally beeame an alijanco wan and prom nent in the peoplo's party. He 1s pos sessod of a moderate competence aud enjoys o profitable law practice. H. L. Loucks. fonal Farmers “Phe vico president of the Na Alli and Industrial Union, Mr. H, L. Loucks, was born in 1846, in Ontario, Cau- mda. Hois o practical farmer and o collego graduate. His earuest, kindly naturo has always impelled Lim to active participation In whatever roform or beneficent under- takings wer i, Ho was worthy chlef of tho ludependant Order of Good Towplars of Cavada tofore he was 25 years old. Hebas lived on his farm near Clear Lauke, S. D., for several years, and during Ahat e bo bus been oue of ho lufluential wen of the state. ‘'ho first ludopendest or people's party onveution growingout of sllisnce education INTY-SECOND YEAR Tue OMAHA SUNDAY BEE. called by Mr. Loucks and M; convention antedated the Kansas party organization, and makes Dakota, rather than the former state, the birthplace of the greatorganized political revolt against the two old parties, which has been steadily gaining strength since its inception. Mr. Loucks was the candidate for governor ou the people's party ticket in their first statd campaivn, and made & powerful can- Ho was the president of the National vass, Farimers olliance, or open alliance, which, by the way, is the older organization, when in its most flourishing condition, but resigned his position, believing that the secret methods of the Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union would prove more effective, and also that tk: strength of the furmees of 'the nation should be concentrated in one national body. Mr. Loucks is editor of the official paver of the Dakota alliance, Much of his work, his speaking and writing, for several years has been done under such distressing inva- lidism as to render it heroie. Within the last year he has suffered the amputation of a leg, since which time his health hus become restored. H. E. Taubeneck, Of all the new men brought into sudden prominence by the farmers alliance vote in 1800 not one occupied ut first so picturesque and painful a position as Hon. H. E. Taube- neck of the Illinois state senate. The elec- tion of a United States senutor practically depended on him av the very time he was compelled to 2o 10 & deal of trouble to prove he was not an escaped convict. In the legisiature 101 Demoarats voted 150 times for General John M. Palmer, not counting un exceptional ballov whea a deao- crat traded witn an alliance man. Simi- larly 100 republicans voted for the re- clection of Charles B. Farwell. This left tho decision in the hands of three allianco men—Moore, Cockrell ana Taubeneck. It 13 scarcely necessary to add that thero was some very energetic labor to enlighten the unaerstanding of these threo gentlemen, who peraisted in voting for A. J. Streoter. In the hottest part of the conflict the story was circulated and publishea in various papers that H. E. Taubeneck was one Carr, alias Rogers, who had been in the Ohio pen- itentiary for forgery and had escaped by a curious fraud. Mr. Taubeneck proved that he was born at Terre Haute, Ind.,, in 1855: thav he was veared on a farm near Marshall, I1L, and had never been cast of Terre Haute before his election, and incidontally that he was a bachelor 1n good standing ‘and had been en- waged all s life in farming and the lumber business. Nevertheless certain politicians of s county of Clarke sent his photograph to Columbus, O., and got from officials of the prison a statement that it was wonder- fully like the oscaped Kogers. Then there was a first class row in the Illinois legisla- ture; a committee was sent to the Columbus penitentiary and Mr. Taubeneck went with it. Judge Willla . MeKelghn The more oue investizates the political cvelone of 1590 the moro surprises he finds init. That many old standoys, like Ingalls, Caunon & Co., should bo laid aside is less surprising than that so many very new men should have como in—such s Peffer, Simp- son, Kylo & Co. But a closer examination shows that these so called ew men really had rocords in their states vefore entering on the national arena, "There, for instance, is Judge William Ar- thur McKeiphan, congressman from tho Second Nebraska district by virtue of 36, 104 votes, ngainst 21,776 for the republican ‘and or the probibitionist. He s joculariy to as the homeliest man in congress 1a doesn’t mind it at all, for bo is a philoso- pher, It is said al his bome_that thore are but three thoroughly homely men in No- braska, *Dan Nettléton is ono and Will Me- Keighan is the other two.’ He dis- played the usual good taste of homely men by marrying & smart and pretty woman, Miss Lois 12 Brown of Fulton ois. He was born in Cumberland county, New county, Illin Jersey, January 19, 1842, went with his parents to Fulton county, Illinois, 1n 1848, and gained an unusually good common senool edu tion there, becoming noted even in boyhood for general in the war he eniisted in nols cavalry, of which colonel, and ‘served till near tha closo. He then settled on u farm uear Pontiac, Ik, tock an active part in oranizing the farmers, and run once for cougress, but was defeated. In 1550 he located in Nobraska, setthng near Red Cloud, was made county judge of Web- ster couuty in 1855, and the next yoar was the democratic candidate for congress azainst Hon. Jumes Laird, Ho was defeated, but acquired a reputation as o “stump speaker’ equaled by very fow information, Early the Eleventh Illi- Bob lngersoll was His supporters love to tell how successive champions of tho republican policy were called to weet hiw, and how none of them was wnxious to meot him the second ti His career in Nobraska is o sort of comedy in itself, as bo was living In & sod house when elected 1o congress—one he put up im- medintoly after the grasshoppers evacuated, us ho suys. 1t is much more comfortabbo thau an eastern reader would think, as it has rooms, and the sod walls are built 1o a frame. Politically Mr. McKeighan aecepts the peovle’s party platform as an en- tire He was recently nominated for con. gress in the Fifth Nebraska district. com. prising the west threo-fourtts of bis old dis- entative of the Seventh i{ansas district in the Fifty-second congress is in- aeed & romarkable Awerican, but uot by pirth o United Staicslun, for he1s a native of New Brunswick Ho entered congress by reasor of & political eycloue, and it is an odd coincidonco that the first cowpliment- Ay notice of him which can be found 1o priut was du conuection with a storm. lero are tho original entries from which the notice was Wado up “havge J. H. Rutter, Commander (orry Simpsou, towed by steamer H. V. Ketchaw, left port for Chicago 20th of October, 18785 storm off Point Belsey and parted from Kotcham 81st; anchored off Luddington leak- y Slmpson, The repre was beld i Dakots June 7, 1oW, aud was 1 AUk badly; severe storm from southwest No- . Wardall. This | people’s | vember 1; founaerea; crew rescued by life saving station off Point Betsey; cargo, 46, 240 bushols corn, 18,750 bushels rye,” Commander Jerry Simpson received great praise for his skill asa sailor, especially while in command of the Rutter and other vessels owned by Curtis & Brainard of Toledo. But this shipwreck let him out. He abandoned the raging main of the lakes and located in windy Kansas. Tho vesult i he is now fa- mous ns tho statesman of Medicino Lodge and figures in curront satire tho “Sockiess Cicero of the Sunflower State.” But a féw popular errars should be corrected at the start. Jerry is his real nume and rot a nickname. Ho is not at all an_illiterato man, but above tho average of laboring men in education. And finally, e not only wears socks, buv drosses like any other gentleman, uccording to his means and the ‘work he Is engagea in, und he is a devotes of the bioyclo and onc of tho most skillful wheelers in Washington. Ho was born in New Brunswick March 31, 1842, bt was taken by his parents to Oneida county, Now York, at the age of 6. At 14 he became a sailor on the lakes and remained in that work about twenty-throe years, except- ing tiro time he served in the Tywelfth Iilinols infantry. In 1878 he reactied Kansus, and in due timo pitctied_his tont about six miles from Medicino Lodge, 1n Barber county where be has subsequently been engaged farming and stock raising. His political experience has been truly tempestuous—quite as stormv as his life on the lakes, An original abolitionist, so far as a bov could be one, he cast his first voto in 1864 for Abraham Lincoln. He adhered to the republican party till the groat tinancial overturn of 1573, thencs became a green- backer, and 1n duc course of evolution an al- liance and people's party man. He ran twice for tho legisiature as an independent and lost the clection both times by very small pluralities. In 1800 ho_reccived 32,683 votes 10 25,181 for James R. Hollowell, republican. Dr. €. W. Macune, Since the death of Prosident Polk, the man occupying the most important_place in the Natioual Farmers Alliance and Industrial Uuion has been Dr. C. W. Macune. He is chairman of the national exegtive board and editor-in-chiet of the Natidnal Iconomist, the ofticial organ_of tho national alliance, published at_ the national ueadquarters, Washington, D. C. He is also at the head of the larze allisnce publishing house at the same place. Dr. Macune was born on a Wisconsin farm in 1851, and is of Scotch-Irish_descent. His common school education, at Freeport, 11, was subplemented by a course of law study aud afterward of medicine. 1n 1857 ho so od down to practico m>licine in Milam county, Texas. His early life having been passcd’ on a furm, he was entirely familiar with the conditions which gave rise to the farmers allance: uud after becoming @ member his services wero soon in demand to further the work of that organization in Texas. Ho was first chairman of the stite executive board, then presiaent of the state alliance, and luter, presiaent of - the national ulliance, which position be held until I3 For some vears previous to the St. Louis couvention, Dr. Macune had given closo study to our financinl system, out of which thought he formulated & roport, which has since become famous as ‘“tho subtreasury plan,” the most vital feature of which he belidves to be the provision for a flexibie ourrency, conforming to the annual fluctua- tions in the money market caused by the moving of the great crops, cotton, corn and wheat. W. A, Pefte There is a remarkable contrast between John James Ingalls and_his senatorial suc- Cessor, William Alfred Peffer. True, both are tall and thin, but Ingalls is thin 'like o yardstick, or an iron ramrod, while Peffer is hin like a string. One somehow gets the im- pression that if Peffor should sit down hard he would collapse, while if Ingulls should do the same he would go through an ordinary chair like n spike. His words come out like arrows from a strong bow, whilo those of bis successor scem to flow with a sort of soft ministerial murmur. The diflerence is or- ganic—1t runs throvgh tho whole physical and mental structure, the one boing sarcastic wnd cutting, the other singularly mild, downy and unaggressive in general style. William Altred Peffor was bora on a farm in Cumberlund county Pennsylvauia, Sep- tember 10, 1831, his parents being of German blood. He gained his education at the com mon scheols, and became a teacher at the early nge of 15, teacning in winter and work- g on a farm in the summer. In 1852 he marriod a lady whose good judgment has voen of vory wmaterisl uso to Lim. Her father was Willism Burber, an Knglish im migrant, who built the first paper mill in Cumberiand county. Around bis mill u vil lage grew up, unow called Mount Holly Springs, and there they were marricd when she wus 20 years old. o 1853 toey removed to St. Joseph county, Iud.; 10 1550 to Morgan county, Mo., and in 150 to filinois, where he enlisted i company F of the Eighty-thira liliuols infantry. He lbecumo o turn leutenant, adjutant, regi- JULY ¢ mental quartermastor. Judlige advocato of a milizary commission andidepot quartermaster at Nashville. Duriog &ll this time he sent home most of his salars; and his wife in vested it so judicinusiy they were in good fix financially 8% She close of the war, He had also studiad law in the intervals of camp quty and practized at Clarksville, Tenn., from 1865 to 1870, when he removed to Kausas, It is an odd factthat he published a ““Tarift Manual’” in 1888, which the republicans thought good enough to use as a text book, though he is & very moderate protectionist. His article in The Forum on the general con dition of farmers attracted a great deal of attontion, and his cconomic work entitied “The Way Out,” published in 1800, has had a wido circulation. He flatly aeclares that whoo he was a boy on his father's 160 acro farm 1n Pennsylvania, when almost ev thing was done by hand, the farmers were really better off than now. In short, he cluims that owiug to bad politics tho farmers have lost the berefits of progress and jnven- tion, and 8o he advocotes the measurcs pro- posed by the alliance. He is also a pro- nibitionist in principle and a coasistent mem- mer of the church. A very curious complication was developed. Mr. Taubeneck certainly did resemble Carr, alins Rowors, except that he was very much tailor, and 1t 5o tappened that he bad kono to Dakota some time before Cacr, alins Itog- ers, was arrested, aad rowurced after the latter's release, He was nominated as an in- dependent candidate, and then t he peniten- tiary story was started, and wood judges think this caused his election, asnany of his old neighbors and friends got indignant on his behalf. Safice it to add that his inno- cence was conclusively proved, and on the 154th ballot the independents in the legisia- ture united with the democrats, and General Palmer was made senator. Mr. Taubeneck is an alliance man from away back and en- thuslustic for the people’s party. Alonzo Wardall, If, in this composite nation of ours, there be o type distinctively American, then Mr. Alonzo Waraall 1s one of its clear-cut repre. sentatives, Born in 1845, in a Wisconsin log cabin, beforo Wiscousin 'vas a, state, Mr. Wardall has lived a frontiersman all bis life, Farm work at early morning and late nizht, with couutry school sandwiched between took ap the winters. of ‘his boyhood until he went a soldiering. All through the war he went without a scratch or one sick day. His superapundant flow of: animal spirits, lus quick pereeption of the humorous, imparted strength aod leat supportin many a doleful situation. Always as fall of joliity and jokes, quaint andioriginal, as of brave endur- ance #fill strong-arined helpfulness for a sick or wounded comrads, no long march fagged him, No lack of hard tack checked his cheeriness. 1S " Home from the war befdre ho was 20, he entered Cedar Valley seminary, Wiscousin, where he graduated &fter four vears. Mr. Wardall’s splendia nealth has enabled him to do hard farm work that would have broken down most men; yet, withal, his ding was kept up, and his earnest thought was coustantly seekicg ways and meuns to lend a hend to such @5 had fallen bebind in the lifo strugle. Wten the old Wisconsin home became tco closely environed by civilization, the pioneer spirit of Mr, Wardall took bim to anewer section of country in Towa. About this time the grange movément sprung up aud in its activitios be found elbow room for large, belpful work. Ho was one of tho chief leaders in: the people's revolt in fowa wliiche chauged the political complexion of chat state several years ago, and compelled atten- ton to the neeas and wishes of the farmers. The accomplished work of civilization crowded once _agniu gnd love of pioneering drew Mr. Wardall Dakotaward. The grange, as & forcrunner und preparation fo larger scope of thought touching the problems and maladjustments of the busi ness side of agriculiure, had performed its mission and declined, but the evolution of thougnt went on and found expression 1n the newer orgunization of the farmers alliance. Mr. Wardall was oo of tho four or five men whose energy and ability organized the alliance 1n Dakota, ‘and gained for it that footing which made it something ofa dictator in political matters in thatstate. Heisa rember of the executive board of the Na- tioaul Farmers Alliange and IndustrialUnion, with headquarters ut Wasniongton, D. C. His time is cbietly devoted to_the insurance feature of the organization. Mr. Wardall 1s a strong advocate of woman suffrage, and is also inclinea to be somothing of a prohi bitionist, but he is content to lot those ideas rest temporarily aud dovoto nis efforts to putting the new party on its fect. 0. M. Ke The political revolution of 1890 was pro- lific of surprises, but in no aistrict_was the surprise greater than in the Third Neb Messrs, Simpson, Petfer and Kyle are indeed new men, but the Hon. Madison Kom 18, if possible, a little bit newer than either of them, A very practical farmer and un known outside of his county, he received the independent nomination for congress, put in twelve weeks at campalgning, with a sun- posed republican majority of 12,000 in the district, and defeatea the popular George W. Dorsey by 31,5831 votes to 22, Such facts' would make # man prominent 1n spite of himself, and_ Mr. Kem as 50 far borne his honors well. Ho was born Novem- ber 13, 1855, in Wayne eounty, Indiana, in the most radical sec- tion of the famous oid “Burnt District,” s0 calied becauso it was the original abo- lition belt of Indian tho district which sustained George W. Julian so long nd faithfuly. Mr. Kem was reared on a farm, received & common school education married at the age of 20, and in 1882 went to Custer county, Nebraska, and home steaded 160 acres three and a half miles from “tho now thriviug town of Brokey Bow, us the local account puts it. In Jaouary, 1599, ho was appointed deputy of the county treasaeer urd refoved to Broken Bow, was nomiuated as & farmers’ man and elected to the Fifty-second con- gress as aforesuid, 1is supporters proudly announce that he apokein every one of 1ho fifty-six countles of his gustrict, made friends everywhere, and didg®t purchuse a singlo glass of liquor for bitwwelf or any one clso He has long bzen an’ advocate in a quint way of many of the reforms demanded by the new party, assisted in organizing tho alliance and bas been a0 active and promi uent wember of it . Senator 2, . Kyle. Senator Janes Henderson Kyie of South Dakota represents 400 possibilities of young America, He s the lucarnation of western capacity for sudden chango sud phenomenal skill in seiziug opportunities, A little over two years ago he was as thoroughly obscure as uny young missionary in the west, In February, 1501, the South Dakota legislature sent bim 'to the United States sonate for ix yoars, aud better than all, perhaps, he is absolutely unpledeed to eny man or plat- form, and bas free course to run and be gloritied. Ho bas views, however, aud very declded 1 used to thul sud weat o, BLe sbouled ibat ones, He calls mmself and indecrat—that half democrat ana wholly 1ndependent—be- lieves in the genoral prinociples of the farm ers alliance, wants a heavy reduction of the tariff, no national banks and a system of tax- ation which will check the preseut tendency toward the concentration of weslth. Ho was orn nearXenia, 0., February 24,1854, 0f Scotch parents, and_was graduated from Oberlin college fn 1573, studied law awnile, but changed his mind and took & course at the Waesteru Theological seminary at Alleghany. Pa., from which he was graduated in 188 Aftor three years in Utah he located at Ab erdeen, S, D., in 1885, On July 4, 1890, his hour struck, his star arose, his good gentus got on deck, or-uny —— otker metaphor you care (o use. The peo- ple had gathered to o big Fourth of July celebration, the o tor of the day failed to arrive and the munagers asked tho preacher who bad in voked the diviuo blessing on the exo cises to sav a few words, _He spoke just 5 haif an hour and cap- tured tho audienc His themo was briefly > this: The concentra. 24 tion of wealth is the ruin of a republic;it has destroyed all free governments where it has prevailed, and at present rates will soon destroy this; there- fore the farmers and other laborers must act together ana devise a fiscal and industrial systom which wull reverse tho present ss. applause was great and in a few days tho orator was the most talked about man in thatsection. At the next clection he was chosen state senator. The lozislature had a deadlock just hike that in Illinois. Whetner any “arrangement” was mado as charged need not be aiscussed here, Suffice it that the democrats in South Dakota gave way and joined in electing o third v man, and the third party man in the Illinois leg- islature joined i~ electing General Pulmer, democrat. “To call it a surprise would bo too milda term. A majority of the politicians of his state did not even kvow him by sight. His colleague for the next four years, Pettigrew, and_tho man whoso plac takes, Senator Moody, had seen him but once before ho entered congress, and the but for a few minutes. He 1s auite unco ventional, but fell in readily witl the w of the senate. And finally be 1s six fect high und well muscled, a° Congregationalist preacher and an advocate of probibition and woman suffrage, J. B. Weaver. “Who can_ be found to boat Weaver This was the long standing conundrum for the republicans of the Sixth lowa district, and at the first they did not solve it for themselves. The democrats did it for them by nominating another m After this, however, General Weaver came again, and only the ‘flood of 1858 enabled the republi to elect Hon, Joha I, Lucey of Osk- loosa. Goneral Weaver's success is due to his na- tive abilities, nis brilbant army record, the popular confidence 1 winning manners and to_a great must be admitted, to the weakness of opponents. He wis born i Dayton, June 12, 1833, was graduated at the school of the Ohio university at Cincin- nati in 1554, enlisted as a private at the beginning of the war, ana_advanced in rank with o rap 1dity cqualed in very few cases. He was clected first lieuten- antof company G of the Second lowa in- fantry, attained the rank of major Octo- ber 8, 1862, aud as both bis colonel and tleutenant were killed at the battle of Corinth, he was made ally he was brevetted brigadier general “for gallantry on the ficld—to date from Marcn 13, 1363.°7 In 1866 ho wus eiected disirict attorney of the Second judicial district of Towa, and in 18567 was appointed assessor of internal revenue for the Piftn district of the state, an office hie held for six He then edited the Towa Tribunc of Des Momes, and was as an independent republican to the Men of his way of r, WOre even then orguniz- and in 1850 he became the greenbackers’ candidate for president. Ix cluding doubtful and fusion tickets he re ceived 307,740 votes, He then resumed pri vate life and professional duties for o time, but in 1584-6 was re-elected Lo congress, us aforesaid. No man in the Fiftieth congress was better informed ou parliamentary rules, as he con- clusively proved by holding the house in a deadlock for several duys on a question e rding the Oklanoma reservation lven then he was regarded as a sort of stormy petrel in politics, not & straightout demoerat, and certainly not o republican, In his first campuign he scarcely had the backing of any , nod his nomination was, in the poli- ‘s phrase, “decidedly irregular,”’ yet he mude a crossroads canva s among the tarmers and defeated one of the brainiest re- publicans in tho state In 1584 the republican candidate, Captain #rank T. Campbell, was 8 national buuker: 50 the old greenbackers ralied to General Weaver, and in 1850 something elso bandi- pped the ropublicans, Seceing bim thus victorious 1n a confessedly republican dis- trict, the country began to look on General Weaver as @ mascot, but 1n 1555 the repub licans succeeded 1n uniting on a strong wan, and remunded the general to privato lire and people's party politics, Mrs. M. E. Lease. Kansas has a trio of whom all the world las heard—Pefler, Simpson and Lease. Per- Laps this is nota very polite way of stating it, for the last named is a lady, but as sbo is as good @ politician as either of tho others, and a far moro effective orator, let it stand. She is of Irish birth and about 40 years o el she was as obscure thor farmer's wife, when she sudd ed forth and astonished the country 10 the cumpaign of 1860, Women do such things ia Kansas. “The pavents of Mrs, Mary k. Leaso emi- grated to the United States when she was a child, and ner father and two brotuers gave their lives for the cause of the union, One brother died in Avdersonville prison. She married quite young, has several children, and ber home 15 in Wichita, where her hus- band is & druggist. When her children got old enough not to need constant attention. or, more correctly speaking, wnoen tho older ones got able to take care of the younger, sho resumed tho studies which her” early mar riage had stopped. From her experience sho had concluded that the life of the average wifo and mother 18 00 narrow and therefore hus a tendenc to belitt the intellect. Deeming law the bost science to develop the intellect, she stu died it long und earnestly and was admitted to the ba She is . stilla member of the Wichita bar, but ier eloquence is now excrted in 8 much wider field. Many cuthusiastic admir- ers say she 1s tho smariest woman i America, while as many critics sa¥ that herstyle is painfully masculine and vitu- perative, and ber oxpressions of ven geance unwomauly She was & eroat fac tor in defeating Sen ator Ingalls, and his comment 18 highly relisied by her op ponents. He said, when she spoke of him after his defeat, *“Tell her that men's enmity ends with the battle; only women aud sav- ages scalp the dead.” Her spoech before the Women's Temperauco union &t Washingto his _integrity, 1o his extent, 1t his o, g an somothing very like a rot—indeed, it would have been a riot in w mecting of wmen. »he was the last speaker on the program for the day ana had not proceeded far before there was hissing. She declarod that ste was to the farmers alliance ¢ *either the liquor trafiie, Wall street ng the gates of hell shall provail against thom and several of tho iadies left the hail. It was scripture, but tuoy wero not used to it | 1n such & conuection She is not pretty, and neither is sho bad looking. In build $he is woat a man would bo ealled “‘wiry'"—that is, delicate looking, but vigorous. Her voice 18 svlendid and her endurance is very great. Sho 18 of course an ardent advocato” of the people's party doe- trines. Sho may be styled the Miriam of the exodus, the Joan of Ave of the openivg war, tho stormy petrel of Kansas politics, or any other titls that indicates daring, devotion and a certain divino fury Tgnuting Dounel Donnelly, may be portrayed as lawyer or congressman, reformor, literary mau or politician, and in each and all these roles hois the samo brilhant wnd erratie, somotimes provoking aud always interesting character, His first battle royal was with “tho Washburnes,” and it is scarcely nocessary to add that ho was badly defeated. His last, with the Pioneer Press of St. Paul, was not less disastrous. In the meantinie he has tackied the geologists, the antiquariaus aud velievers in Shakespoare, the bankers and the railroads, bas been occasionally suc- cessful, and has ‘always furnished a good deal of fun, Liven his name is _suggestive of trouble, for the Dounellys of [roland wero fighters from away back, whilo St. Ignatius, as all readers of church history remember, lived at war with the party in power and aied by the toeth of wild beasts iu a Koman amphi theater. 1t 15 only a coincidence, but an odd one, that the dispute about the genuineness of Ignatius’ epistics has beon ten timos hot- ter and forty times longer than t about Shakespenra. This modern Ignatius was born in Philadelphin Novemver 3, 1831, graduated from the high school ~thero, studied law and was admitted to practice in 1853, He marriod in 1555 and located in St. Puulin 1830, since which time his political carecr bas been varied and yet on tho wholo succossful, Ho began lifo as an ardent democrat, and as such ran for the legislaturo in Pennsyl 1ia, but was doteated. His first success was in being elected licutenant governor of Minnesota. He wasre-elected in 1861, and having become u pronounced republi- cun on war and slav cry issues, was elect- ed to tne Thirty- cighth, Thirty-ninth and Forticth con- gresses. His verbal set-to with a fellow member in 1808 wi ono of the congres - sional scandals of the time. Both gentlo- men wore severeiy consured by other sponk- ers, and Mr. Donnelly was at ono timo thought to be in dangor of expulsion, but a lumorous suggestion that the disputants “imitate the two secrotaries (Thomas and Stanton) and go out and take a drink," re- stored the house to good humor and the pro ceedings were dropped ta wis pronounced “politicaly dead” and went into hiterature. After various minor works, among them an “Essay on the Son- nets of Shake he produced “‘Atlan- n1s, the Antediluvina World,” an attempt 1o show that an immenso island continent once extended from the West Iudies almost to Kurope; that civilization originated there and spread to both the adjacent continents: that this land sank, and that the islands aro merely such parts of 1t as were too high to bo submerged. Antiquarians unanimously looked on tnis book as o mero intellectual “sport,” like » works written ostensib: to prove that thero was no such man as Bonaparte, Cicsar, ete. Although convinced in time thut the author really mosnt it, they declined to consider it seriously Next camo his “Ragnarok,” in which he attempts to prove that the cluy, gravel, ete of tho drift resulted from the contactof a comet or fome wandering planet with the carth. In the meantime he had engaged in farming iu the northern part of Minnesota, and, according to his account, lost all ne put into it, whict prepared him for taking an active 'part in the farmers alliance mov went. Ho has since secured a competenc 1 by professional and literary lubor and hye w the enjoyment of rural life in a mausio overlookiug tue Mississippi at Nimnge Minn. John U, Powers. J. H. Powers was born in St. Clair county, Hlinots, in 1531, A short time after his birth his parents moved to La Salle county, 1111 nois, where young Powers received a com- mon school eduecation and later beeame a dis- trictschool teacher. At the breaking out of the war ho enlisted 10 the One Hundred and Fourth Lliinois infantry and fought through out the conflict, returning to his home in La Salle county when peacs was declared. In 1873, with his family he settled in the south crn part of Hall county, Neoraska, whero for fourtoen years ho was engazed in the busi- ness of farming. At the cad of that time Mr. Powers romoved to Hiteheoclk county, whero ne has.since lived and followed farming s a profession. 2 In the anti-monopoly Mr. Powers figured only as a local chief, but when the farmers alliance in Nebraska was or- ganized Mr. Powers came to the front as ouc of its most trusted loaders, He drafted much of the oustitution of the party us itnow ex- ists, and for four years has been pros st of the state or- guuization, last year occupying the posi- tion of natioual pres- dent of the northwest association. Ho is o rugg ay-whis! red man of 80, somewhat fustero in manner, but thoroughly in oarnest w his championship of the cnuse of the farmer. Senntor Willinm M, Stew: Tho people’s party may placo In noming ton for vresideat, ~ William Morris Stewart, Umited States senator from Nevada, #nd ono of the best known meh in the west, Mr. Stowart was born in Wayne county, Now York, Auzust 9, 1527, but was taken while a small child by bLis parents to Trumbull county, Ohio, Ho at- tended the Lyons Union school and tne farm- ington acadeiny, ad taught mathematics in the former school while yot u pupil. Hon, Jumes C. Smith, ono of the judges of the su preme court of Now York, ‘took a fancy to voung Stewsrt ana aided bim in taking o ourse of study at Yale college, DBut the course was not completed, Young Stowart canght the gold fever aud went to California, arriving in San Prancisco in May, 1530, He immedintely began work with a’ pick and shovel, and accumulated some cash. In 1552 he commenced the study of law, and n December following was appointed district attorney, re-elected to the office the following year, and in 1834 was appointed attorney general of Californin. He movea to Virginia City, Nevada, in 1360, aund was Interosted in early mning hitigation and the development of the Comstock lode. Ho was & mombor of the territorial council in 1551 aud of the co movement of 1851 stitutional conycutic in 1803, was clected United 5 B 0 1804, uud re-elected 1 1560, he resumed the practice of law in No und California_and was thus engaged whoen clected to the United States scunato as a re publican in 1857 to succeed James G. i democrat, Senstor Stewart lives at Car City. Thomas £, Watson. Congressman Thomas 12, Watson of Thomp- spn, Ga., is likely to be the vice presideu- tial nomince, whoever is named for the fivst He is vears of age, n native of ud has béen @ seboolte v, lnw yer, favmer and politiclan, He wis o ber'of the Gieorgia legislature in 1552 aud a democratic slector 1o 1535, Ho was elected 10 Cougress as & democrat, - Georgin Denver lRepublican (rep.) : Of course Judge Greshem will not make s national laugh- ing stock of himself by cousentiuy to bac a candidate for president before the Omaha convention, Ho is & reformer, bul Lo 1s uot @ blanked took, PAGES 9 TO 16 NUMBER 15, ORIGIN OF THE PARTY History of tho Steps Leading to a Coalition of the Reform Forces, FIRST STEPS BY SOUTHERN FARMERS Created in Texas to Prevent Further Spolias tiov of the Public Lands, POLITICS BARRED OUT AT THE BAPTISN Wonderful Riso and Growth and Woeful Fall of the Grange Movement, NORTHERN FARMERS ESPOUSE THE CAUSE Review of the Varl Organizations and t Ocala and St. Which “inal Unlon s — Platfo 0 on Omaha Delogates Stand. A littlo mora than twonty-five years age the move was made that gave the farmers allianco its start, Soon ufter tho closo of the war President Johuson sent an &gent into the southern states to iuvestigate tho condition of the farmers 1 that section and report the result of bis investigations. One of tho results of what journoy was the organization of what was known as tho Patrons of Husvandry, commonly called the gravge. 1t was organ- ized in the city of Washiugton vy soven per- but ove of whom wore employed in various departments of the government. T'he object was to organizo tho farmers, not only of the south but of all parts of the country, for purposos of mutual protection against tho encroachments of organized cape ital. At that timo the condition of the publia mind in the south was sSuspicious and fever- ish; the people wero distrustful of all propo- sitions of a socialor political character which aid not originato among themsclves; heuce the new organization was not recoived kindly Ly the persons for whom it was chiefly in« tended. Rise and Fall of the Grange. The grange, uowever, grew with ereat rapidity, spreading all over the country, so that within the next sevon years its mem- bership was numbered by hindreds of thous sands. But it lacked discipline, and after @ wonderful growth of nine years it quite as rapidly receded from public view. While it was the intention of the organiz- ers that none but those directy interested in ugriculture should bo mombers, there waa nothing in tho constitution of the body to pre- vent iy ono from coming in, ana in New York and Boston, and soveral_ other large cities, Inwyers, bankers, foan agents, indeod, all classes of prof ional men, were mem- bers of the grango; in some instances, even stock gamblers posed as grangers, It was solely 1n order to relieve the body of this class of its members that a national meeting of the patrons was called at (5t. Louis in 1874, at which time ead %'a3.a thorough revision of the constituiion _ifected, t.niting thy membership to the class that it’ was origine intended should form the working body of the order, “The action of that convention cut off every person who was not either practically en- aged in tho work of farming, or was sa v connected with 1t as to'be tc all in« teots avd purposes a farmer. This included rricultural editors and thoso who were 1n iy way directly itterested in the practical work of farming. From that time forward the grange memborship diminished yearty, and ut the time of the celebration of thy nation’s centenmal anniversary, two yoars later, tie order had toased to' bo strong, socially or politically, and about thai o Whe grango us an organization practis cally passed out of notice. Birth of the Farmers Alllance. As a child of the grango the farmers alli- ance was born. Tho first effort was made in Texas, the direet object of that first organis zation bewg to oppose the spoliation of tha puvlic lunds of the Louo Star state, Bodies of speculators woro gathering up those lands for the purpose of bringing ta themsolves wealth out of tho incrense in their value, and tho farmers i sted thatthe public interests should take precedence of those of privats ingividuals. For two yoars the movement was purely tocal, and it “was then deemod advisable to enlarge the scope and work of the alliance, 50 us to tako in tho farmers of the entire stato and deal with publio affairs generally “T'his extonsion of the purposes of the alliance occurred in 1579, Politics Barrod at t o Baptism, In organizing tho state alliance overything of & partisan nature was excludod, its funos tions “being educational and it3 fleld of operations limited only by the boundaries of human exertion.” Its purposes wore des clured to bo as follows: (1) *“Po labor for the edv loa of the agricultural clessos in the science of economical Rovern- ment in sirictly nonpartisan spirit; (2) to develop a botter stute, mentally, mor: ally, socially and financlally; (3) to croato a botter understanding for ustuming ewil oMmeers in maintamiog law and order; (4)con- stantly Lo strive to securo entire harmony and good will among ull mankind and broth. erly love among ourselvos; (5) o suppress personal, local, sectional and national prejus dice, ull uubealthy rivaly and all solfsh ambition.” ‘Ihe doclaration of purposes also declared that the laws of the rmors alliauce “‘are reason and equity; its cardinal doctrines inspiro purity of thought and life, and 1ts intentions are poace on earth and kood will toward mon. Thoso woro the fundamental principles of the organization. Drow the Color Line, Tn 1852, tho Texas stato alliance was formes ally organized, and its membership was lim. ited to whito persons. lu four years, elghty- two counties had becomo interested in and identitied with the work of the now order. A weoting was hold at Waco, Jatuary 17, 1857, for the purposo of taking steps ta brug into harmony with tho alliance auothor organization of farmers in tho state of Louis- wana, known as the “i'armers Union.” Dele: gates from the union were present and the two bodies united, taking the name of the “iarmers Alliwnce and Co-overative Union of Amorics,” with C. W. Macune as its presis dent. Spread to Other States. Measuros were taken at that meeting te extend tho organization into other states, aud in o short timo the farmers allisnce was operating in Missouri, Ientucky, Tennesseo North Caroline, South Carolins, Georgim Alabama ana Mississipp: At tuat time anoth riners' oreaniza. tion known as the “Agricultural Wheel, wis oporating in the statos of Arkausus, Missourt and Tencessee, Lho movement hay- wuig bogun in 1882, A meoting was held at Shreveport, La., in OCtober, 1857, for tho purpose of merging the “whool” 'into the farmers alllance, ana the object wus suceéssiully uccomplishea. At thal mesting, tho states of Texas, Louls T'ennessee, Flori- Caroline and Kansas purticipated. ‘Tuis new organization, embraciag the allisnce, the union and the whoel, was finally named the W Rurmers and Laborers Uulou of Ameri- 2t jana, Arkausis, Missouri Kentueky, North wore presout and Movement in the North und West, It will be noticed that up to this time the farmers uallisuco was almost exclusively & soutbern institution. It wus e secret order with grips and passwords, It had taken no action atever iu politlos except by way ok